​​Fighting for Businesses Small and Large! Action AlertsThe Surprise Regional Chamber is here to help YOU take action.An Action Alert is a message that the Chamber sends to almost 4,000 businesses, members and stakeholders, calling on them to take action to influence public policy. Typically, action alerts are in reference to a timely issue, where prompt action is needed in order to affect upcoming decisions.

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Action Alert: Infrastructure/Transportation Reform (Federal) Date: 05/09/2019Action Required: ImmediateBackground:The country’s transportation system is comprised of roads, bridges, public transit, airports, railroads, seaports, and interchanges affecting thousands of communities, multiple industries, and virtually all job sectors. Without question, this system serves as the backbone of the nation’s economy. Last week President Trump met with Congressional Democrats and agreed to pursue a big infrastructure package and–importantly–to meet again in three weeks to see if they can resolve how to pay for it. The next three weeks are critical. If the president and Congress can reach a deal on financing, we can do something historic. Infrastructure enables global trade, powers businesses, connects workers to their jobs, and creates new opportunities for our community. However, these critical systems are in a state of disrepair.

What You Should Do:The Surprise Regional of Commerce is partnering with the U.S. Chamber on infrastructure reform. You can help us by doing one or both of the following:

Contact your US State Senators and US Members of Congress (Click here for contact information). Remind them that "Last week President Trump met with Congressional Democrats and agreed to pursue a big infrastructure package and–importantly–to meet again in three weeks to see if they can resolve how to pay for it. Please support this effort." See sample email below.

Additional Speaking/Email Points

The time to make important infrastructure investments is NOW. Delaying action only makes the decisions more difficult and projects costlier.

From the business community’s perspective, the question is not if we need to make these decisions, but when.

Guaranteeing revenue for America’s transportation network must be among the most important issues leaders tackle. Your support can also facilitate private-sector involvement and continued project streamlining. Modernizing the nation’s transportation system supports U.S. businesses but also helps keep Americans like me — your constituents — safe. I hope I can count on you to make our country’s transportation network the best it can be.

Our business strongly supports modernizing the nation’s infrastructure. We need a fluid, efficient multimodal national transportation network that will support the transportation needs of businesses from origin to destination across the globe, and from the factory to the corporate headquarters, to main street retailers to medical centers, to everywhere in between.

There is no single funding solution that will solve all of our surface transportation infrastructure problems. Our company believes communities should have a large toolkit of funding and financing options available that can be utilized to provide the infrastructure needed, not just to succeed, but to lead the world in providing economic and social mobility. Improving our current infrastructure is a necessary component of economic development for our country.

A robust, long-term federal infrastructure modernization program, combined with greater investment by state, local and private stakeholders, can engender the partnership necessary to ensure our nation has a 21st century infrastructure network. But without a serious commitment from federal lawmakers, our nation will not make the kind of progress demanded by the challenges we’re facing.

Enacting an infrastructure modernization plan this year would directly add demand and employment, as some fourteen million workers, or 11 percent of the total U.S. labor force, are currently employed in infrastructure-related sectors, according to the Brookings Institution’s “Beyond Shovel-Ready Report.”

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Quarterly Small Business Index, crumbling infrastructure is a significant roadblock standing in the way of American small businesses. Most of the respondents told us that highways and local roads and bridges are critical to the success of their companies. And 62% said that their local surface infrastructure is in average, poor, or very poor quality.

Infrastructure needs around the country continue to grow. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) identified a $2 trillion infrastructure gap, which includes investments for surface transportation. This will result in the average American family annually losing around $3,400 in disposable income.

It is estimated that roadway features are likely a contributing factor in approximately one-third of traffic fatalities, according to the national transportation research group TRIP. Additionally, motor vehicle crashes in which roadway design was a likely contributing factor cost U.S. motorists $101.1 billion per year.

Funding public transportation is also essential. Since 1995, public transportation ridership has increased by 30 percent, a rate higher than the 22 percent increase in U.S. population, according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

Sample Email Infrastructure needs around the country continue to grow. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) identified a $2 trillion infrastructure gap, which includes investments for surface transportation. This will result in the average American family annually losing around $3,400 in disposable income.

It is estimated that roadway features are likely a contributing factor in approximately one-third of traffic fatalities, according to the national transportation research group TRIP. Additionally, motor vehicle crashes in which roadway design was a likely contributing factor cost U.S. motorists $101.1 billion per year.

Funding public transportation is also essential. Since 1995, public transportation ridership has increased by 30 percent, a rate higher than the 22 percent increase in U.S. population, according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

Guaranteeing revenue for America’s transportation network must be among the most important issues leaders tackle. Your support can also facilitate private-sector involvement and continued project streamlining. Modernizing the nation’s transportation system supports U.S. businesses but also helps keep Americans like me — your constituents — safe. I hope I can count on you to make our country’s transportation network the best it can be.

Your voice is essential to protecting our free enterprise system! As a business advocate we need you to emphasize our core principles of the free enterprise, and remind elected officials that removing obstacles to job creation and economic growth is paramount.

One of the most valuable, and often overlooked functions of a chamber is being an advocate for the business community. The Chamber works to represent the collective voice of the business community. Whether it's setting legislative goals, working with our lobbyist, sending out Action Alerts or keeping voters informed through our forums, the goal is ensuring an environment where business can prosper.